GMB calls on council to lift ‘threat to appeal’ court decision on equal pay

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

GMB calls on council to lift ‘threat to appeal’ court decision on equal pay

GMB Scotland has called on Glasgow City Council to ‘instil confidence and optimism’ in equal pay claimants by lifting its threat to appeal the Court of Session judgment on the city’s equal pay job evaluation process.

In an open letter to Councillor Susan Aitken, GMB has also urged the council leader to learn from the mistakes of the past by putting women ‘front and centre’ of future settlement negotiations by ensuring equal representation of women on the delegations of all representative groups.

The letter in yesterday’s Evening Times (Wednesday 20 September), was been published ahead of further trade union equal pay demonstrations at the City Chambers today (Thursday 21 September).

GMB is representing the equal pay claims of over 1,800 women across Glasgow City Council, leading the campaign for just settlements over historical pay discrimination and to protect existing jobs and services already decimated by a decade of austerity on the city’s budget.

GMB Scotland Organiser Hazel Nolan said: “Last week’s decision by the council to seek leave to appeal the judgment sent out a worrying mixed message to our equal pay women, particularly after a manifesto promise to end pay inequality in Glasgow City Council.

By lifting this threat to appeal the job evaluation element of existing equal pay claims, Councillor Aitken can instil some much needed confidence and optimism in our claimants who have waited years for pay justice and can pave the way for settlement negotiations to begin.

We are also sure that Councillor Aitken will support our calls to ensure that women are equally represented on all sides of the negotiating table, learning the lessons of the past and ending the scourge of unequal pay once and for all. That now needs to be the focus- ensuring the past doesn't repeat itself again.

Glasgow Pay Justice - a fair and just equal pay settlement that protects all workers across the ‘Glasgow Family’ from poverty, privatisation and redundancy – is within reach and we are urging Councillor Aitken to take these steps and start the process of delivery.”

1.GMB Scotland’s Open Letter to Councillor Susan Aitken, published on P.17 of the Evening Times, Wednesday 20 September Edition, can be viewed at https://goo.gl/J9ZTXa

2.The Glasgow Pay Justice demo will start today from 12.30PM, Thursday 21 September outside of the main entrance to the Glasgow City Chambers. GMB Equal Pay claimants will hand over our campaign demands to Glasgow City Council after 1PM.